What is Fitness Hearing?
According to Ram Research one of the most crucial forms of exercise is cardio. Even though some people find cardio to be a little too strenuous, it has numerous benefits. For instance, cardio strengthens your heart, boosts lung capacity, and it’s great for weight loss as well.
But whatever your choice of physical fitness routine is, you may still be vulnerable to certain drawbacks. Just like too much exercise can harm rather than benefit your body, the environment in which you work out can also pose disadvantages.
Whether you work out on your spin bike at your local gym with the speakers blaring, or like jogging with your headphones – exercise with loud music can lead to problems like hearing loss.
How Loud Music During Workouts Can Affect Your Hearing
One of the hallmarks of gyms is the music that accompanies the intense workout sessions. However, the tunes played over the speakers can, at times, exceed 100 decibels – which is equivalent to the sounds of a revving motorcycle.
Additionally, there’s background noise to be contended with as well. Gyms are busy places, and loud chatter, the sounds coming from stationary bikes, weight lifting machines, etc. can also add to the stress your ears are experiencing.
An easy way to tell if the music at your gym is too loud for your ears’ tastes is if you leave the scenery with your head feeling heavy and your hearing muted. Long story short, the overall noise factor at the gym can cause noise-induced hearing loss or tinnitus over time.
What’s even more worrying is the fact that a gradual decrease in hearing is often difficult to detect. This is mostly because your hearing may improve a few hours after you leave the gym, but, over time, the clamor can slow down your inner ears’ ability to heal.
How To Avoid Fitness-Related Hearing Loss?
Exercise is an important part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. And, you don’t have to quit your gym’s social experience just to preserve your hearing fitness. Instead, try implementing the following steps to enjoy the best of both worlds.
*Perilymphatic Fistula (PLF) occurs when the thin membrane between your inner and middle ear is damaged. Tears in the thin membrane can often transpire when the pressure in the inner ear increases due to straining. That’s why you should be extra careful not to hold your breath while lifting weights or doing arduous exercise. Another way to clear the air pressure in your inner ear is by yawning.
*You can easily avoid the dangers of noise-induced hearing loss by wearing protective headphones when you hit the gym. Noise-canceling headphones can save your ear muscles and membrane from the havoc wreaked by loud sounds.
*Make sure and gradually increase your weight lifting training. You can also reduce the chances of PLF from occurring by cutting down on your heavy lifting exercise for a few days.
*Try not to drop the weights while exercising because experts liken the sound to a gunshot. In other words, when you drop the weights the bang it induces can cause hearing damage.
*If you find yourself experiencing reduced hearing during or after your exercise routine, have yourself checked by the ENT.
